The Perfect No- Cook Recipe for a Toddler Meal

At home, I do a lot of Eco Friendly cooking with Cast Iron on an induction stove, but I also like to serve raw or prepared foods that make simple meals. The best way to avoid Fast Food Restaurants is to have your own versions of Fast Food easily available at home. I can get a meal on the table faster than you can say ‘drive through’ because I keep things simple. One of my favorite meals to serve Hannah consists of bite-sized portions of bread, cheese, and fruit. I make it a weekly goal to fill Hannah with healthy portions from the food pyramid. We eat the same meals for a few days in a row to help cut back on food waste and a meal like this is easy to save if there were any leftovers. But, when it comes to cheese, fruit, and bread… there are never leftovers.

To assemble, simply slice all the ingredients into pieces that suit your child. Pea size is best for children close to age one, but they can quickly move up to larger portions as they get more teeth. I also recommend limiting grape servings to 6-8 grapes. Another great serving option is a handy, refillable Squooshi. To watch how I fill that with applesauce, click the Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/user/JBZ118?feature=g-crec-u

For about $8 each week, you can feed your toddler this as a snack or meal 1-3 times per day depending on what else you like to serve. On a given day, I serve Hannah a breakfast of oatmeal, a ready-made snack of Goldfish or Animal Crackers, two plates like the one in the photo, and one serving of soup. She doesn’t eat everything at every meal, but that’s OK. I know that by offering her healthy food all the time, she’ll eat what she needs. If you’d like to try Hannah’s Favorite Recipe for Chicken Noodle, it’s here: https://ecoincognito.wordpress.com/2013/01/10/hannahs-first-homemade-chicken-noodle-soup/

There’s nothing I like better than watching Hannah sign for ‘more’ during a meal. I can’t help but oblige when I’ve got plenty of healthy food to serve her. This meal also works great on a picnic. Pack everything in a reusable container with an ice pack and you’re all set.

The trick in the winter months to getting fresh fruit on a budget is buying what’s on sale each week. I also feed Hannah frozen fruit, but I usually mix that in oatmeal, a smoothie, or yogurt since it rarely defrosts well. She loves applesauce, so we are planning to plant apple trees for her this summer. Paired with the raspberries on the bushes in our yard, we’ll have everything we need for “Fruit Salad, Yummy Yummy.”

Jeannette, see if you can get a hold of the Rodale Institute to see how they grow their apple orchard organically in Kutztown. It’s great to offer little ones good and healthy choices. She’s a cutie with her “more” sign.

Jeannette Bezinque – Eco Incognito

Jeannette is a lifestyle blogger and stay at home mom to two daughters, Audrey and Hannah. Her background in the arts (theater, fashion, design, and music) is shaping the creative way she raises her girls. She keeps an eco-friendly home in an effort to save money and is adept at the art of simplifying.